Xcimer Energy

Director of Optical Engineering

Denver, CO · Director · Part-time

Work authorization required$190k-$220kDetected 40 days ago

PythonMATLABRESTA/B TestingAccessibilityPerformance ManagementSystems EngineeringControlsResearchLeadershipCommunicationCollaborationMentoring

About the role

Xcimer Energy leverages decades of research on Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) combined with groundbreaking new laser architecture.
Xcimer has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution.
Join us in powering a better world with inertial fusion!

Build, lead, mentor, and grow the Optical Engineering team through hiring, coaching, performance management, and career development.
Develop engineering processes, design standards, documentation practices, and quality expectations for the optical engineering organization.
Partner with executive leadership to develop long-term optical engineering strategy and organizational growth plans.
Work with science, systems engineering, and laser teams to derive, allocate, and manage optical system requirements.
Provide technical oversight for optical design, tolerancing, alignment strategies, and system performance analyses.
Chair reviews of optical designs and analyses, ensuring technical rigor and adherence to performance requirements.
Drive resolution of complex optical performance issues through modeling, experimentation, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.
Partner with optomechanical engineering teams to optimize system performance, manufacturability, alignment accessibility, and maintainability.
Collaborate with optical physicists, electrical engineers, controls engineers, and software engineers to develop integrated laser and diagnostic systems.
Support supplier selection, technical evaluations, and strategic relationships with optical component vendors and manufacturing partners.

Leadership: 1 5 + years of experience leading technical teams and managing engineering organizations.
Experience designing adaptive optics systems and beam pointing stabilization systems.
Education: MS degree in Optical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
Demonstrated expertise using optical design software such as Zemax (preferred), CODE V, or equivalent tools.
Deep understanding of optical design methodologies, optimization techniques, and performance metrics for imaging and laser systems.
Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts from concept through integration and testing.

Strong experience with computational analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, or similar engineering software.
Experience with optical tolerancing, fabrication specifications, statistical performance analysis, and alignment sensitivity assessments.
Experience integrating and aligning complex optical systems using instrumentation such as theodolites, autocollimators, laser trackers, interferometers, and related metrology equipment.
Experience performing optical metrology and characterization, including interferometric measurements, surface quality assessment, scatter characterization, and precision inspection techniques.
Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Ph.D. degree in Optical Engineering, Optical Science, Physics, or a related discipline.
15+ years of experience in optical system design, optimization, tolerancing, integration, and precision alignment.

In addition, employees receive paid sick time, 13 company-paid holidays, and an annual paid company shutdown.

Xcimer offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee health, well-being, and long-term success.
Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage
basic and supplemental life insurance
short- and long-term disability
paid parental leave for employees at the time of birth or adoption
Eligible employees also receive equity, allowing them to share in the company's long-term success.
Xcimer operates under a flexible Paid Time Off (ATO) approach.
Rather than a fixed number of vacation days, employees are trusted to take the time they need to rest and recharge while meeting the expectations of their role and team.
Benefits are available to regular employees, including part-time and fixed-term roles, as well as interns, with eligibility varying by benefit.

Xcimer Energy is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated work force.
Xcimer Energy hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities.
We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members.
We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law.

This listing is sourced directly from Xcimer Energy's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.